Things Your Mama Taught You About Selling

If more of us could apply what our mamas taught us to selling then we would be selling with an attitude of helping the customer to buy! In all the times dad said, "Go ask your mother," it's because he knows mamas have the answers. The pearls of wisdom we received whether in a moment of comfort or a point of reprimand are worth examining for their application to selling. Whether they are tales or truths, the lessons they give can to help us to help our customer buy what it is they want.

Learn from just a few gems from moms: "If you don't think well of yourself, no one will think anything of you." At least half of selling is a mind set. Set your mind to being selfish with positive self-image, positive self-talk and your self-esteem. The sale is made inside our head before it takes place with the customer.

It's like any product or service we sell - a house, a car, a cleaning service, web site design - all of these were in someone's mind as an idea before they came into reality. When we believe in ourselves, the sale will more easily take care of itself. "Be brave. Timid people never amount to much."

There are several places in the sales process where each of us can take this advice from mom. Are you afraid to call on potential new clients? Are you hesitant to probe about a customer concern? Do you educate about your products or services and then stop just short of asking the client to make a decision?

Customers start out with you in the buying process to make a decision to buy or not to buy. Wherever you hesitate, be brave. Help customers to make a decision. Your sales will amount to much more. "It is as easy to love a rich man (or woman) as a poor one." Why prejudge your prospects? They each have a budget they can work and live with.

If you have a range in your product or services, you can help every customer to get what they want to solve their problem. Help them to understand what they want and then show them how you can help. "Stand up straight, shoulders back, chest out." We know from communications research that most of a message that is understood comes from our body language, eye contact, dress and other visuals that the receiver of the message takes in. If you are confident in your belief of your company, your product, your service and yourself, are your outer visual indicators communicating this? "

When you fall, pick up something while you're down there." We are all going to lose a sale now and then. We're not perfect, only human. And being human life gives us lessons. So when you lose a sale, when you fall, learn something from the loss so you can be more successful next time a similar situation. "Trust yourself."

The power to discern the true nature of a situation is one that gets better with practice. Intuition is like a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it gets. And the stronger it gets the less fat gets in your way. Trust yourself when that little voice tells you to call on a particular customer, when you get the feeling your customer is ready to buy. Whether it's your mom or someone else's, moms words of wisdom from yesterday can help you improve your role today in sales.

Go ahead. Just ask mom to remind you of a few "lessons" she gave you as you were growing up in her care. Then you can put those learnings into sales success.

©Copyright. Pat Weber is a speaker, trainer and author providing keynotes and workshops with ideas and insights to bolster customer relationships. Visit her website at http://prostrategies.com for discussions about sales and service. Subscribe to her free online newsletter with email to tips@prostrategies.com.